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UEFI and Linux in 2013 - the list so far
f0dder:
The UEFI is an independent panel.-Notok (January 12, 2013, 12:23 AM)
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Independent panel, yes, but there's some pretty strong individual forces on it... and I somehow think it's telling that the file format used for UEFI executables is Microsoft's Portable Executable format.
Also, Windows 8 cert requires that you can disable Secure Boot - there's no guarantee that 9 or 10 will require that, once people have accepted Secure Boot as a technology. It's something to be wary of, at least.
zridling:
How about building a better OS instead of locking down hardware? Unless, Win8 ain't what MS claims it is.
f0dder:
How about building a better OS instead of locking down hardware? Unless, Win8 ain't what MS claims it is.-zridling (January 13, 2013, 11:11 AM)
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The hardware isn't locked down for x86, only for their ARM tablets (and yes, that is bad IMHO).
Secure Boot itself is IMHO a good idea, it offers yet a level of protection against malware (it's not an end-all-be-all solution and it has flaws, but security is both depth and breadth). Yes, I am worried that SB might be used to lock down x86 hardware in the future, but claiming that's it's only point is FUD.
Carol Haynes:
Also, Windows 8 cert requires that you can disable Secure Boot
-f0dder (January 12, 2013, 04:40 PM)
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Where does it say that? I thought W8 cert required that SB had to be enabled by default and that it was up to individual OEMs whether they allow disabling SB.
40hz:
Yes, I am worried that SB might be used to lock down x86 hardware in the future, but claiming that's it's only point is FUD.
-f0dder (January 13, 2013, 11:53 AM)
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I think categorizing that purely as FUD risks being guilty of being it's own piece of FUD. :P
In case anybody has any doubts of Microsoft's attitude and intentions when it comes to UEFI (despite Redmond's promises of an easy process for those who wish to obtain a validly signed pre-boot loader) take a look at this article over at ZDnet.
Linux Foundation UEFI Secure Boot key for Windows 8 PCs delays explained
Thanks to Microsoft, the Linux Foundation's program for booting Linux easily on Windows 8 PCs protected with Secure Boot is still stuck in neutral.
By Steven J. Vaughan-Nichols for Linux and Open Source | November 23, 2012 -- 18:43 GMT (10:43 PST)
Follow @sjvn
The Linux Foundation is sorry to report that its project for making Linux easy to boot with Windows 8 Secure Boot still isn't finished.
James Bottomley, Parallels' CTO of server virtualization, well-known Linux kernel maintainer, and the man behind the Linux Foundation's efforts to create an easy way to install and boot Linux on Windows 8 PCs with UEFI (Unified Extensible Firmware Interface) Secure Boot enabled is sorry to report that "We’re still waiting for Microsoft to give the Linux Foundation a validly signed pre-bootloader."
Despite the best efforts of Fedora, openSUSE, Ubuntu, and the Linux Foundation, booting Linux on UEFI Secure Boot Windows 8 PCs continues to be a problem . The easiest way to avoid Windows 8 lock-in is to disable UEFI Secure Boot from your system before it starts to boot. However, this option may not be available on all motherboard; isn't available at all on Windows RT devices, such as the Surface; and is still troublesome even with Secure Boot disabled. So, it is that the struggle—and struggle it is—to create an easy to use, universal install and boot Secure Boot Linux installer continues on.
<more here>
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It's gotten so ridiculous and obvious that even The Linux Action Show (which argued for a "wait & see" approach to UEFI and suggested Microsoft be given the benefit of the doubt) are finally getting frustrated. Fast forward to the 16:55 mark in the below video to hear what's been going on with the Linux Foundation's attempt to work Microsoft on this.
:-\
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